Swedish prosecutor appeals against former Telia CEO's acquittal in Uzbekistan bribery case

The Prosecution Authority of Sweden said on Friday that prosecutors have appealed against the acquittal last month of Lars Nyberg, former CEO of telecoms operator Telia Company, of charges of bribery in connection with the group’s business activities in Uzbekistan, Reuters reported.

Ex-CEO Lars Nyberg was acquitted by a Swedish district court on February 15.

The charges, filed in 2017, concerned alleged bribery during 2007–2010 of a local Uzbek partner in connection with Telia’s entry into the Uzbek market. Nyberg, and two other former Telia executives also accused, denied the charges.

Telia said in 2015 that it would exit central Asian markets and refocus on growing its core Nordic operations after being hit for years by investigations into alleged corruption linked to local partners and problems accessing cash in certain emerging markets.

Telia has nearly completed its exit from those markets, with only its business in Moldova left to sell.